Arriving in Haldwani for the first time after assuming charge as the Minister of State, Ministry of Textiles, Ajay Tamta lambasted the Congress-led State Government accusing it of playing politics over the issue of disaster. Tamta said this on Thursday after visiting Mohan Chandra and Neelam Bhatt who are undergoing treatment in the Sushila Tiwari Government hospital for serious injuries sustained in the recent disaster in Bastadi village in Pithoragarh.
The lok Sabha MP from Almora constituency met the two disaster victims at the hospital and enquired about their condition. During his visit, Tamta assured that all possible assistance will be facilitated for the disaster affected persons through the Union Government.
Tamta alleged that the State Government was mainly focusing on “playing politics” over the disaster scenario which should not be happening. The Minister further said that the disaster relief work being undertaken by teams and resources of the army, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Indo Tibetan Border Police Force (ITBP) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) was being facilitated by the Central Government.
He said, “Instead of playing politics, the State Government should be preparing various disaster-related work proposals for submission to the Central Government for budgetary allocation. Such disaster-related work proposals have not been been submitted yet by the State Government to the Centre,” he said.
Stating that now since he had assumed office at the Centre, Tamta said that such disaster related work proposals can also be submitted through him to the Union Government for necessary central budgetary allocation. However, Chief Minister Harish Rawat has not had even a telephonic talk with him on the disaster, averred Tamta.
Referring to the issue of rehabilitation of the disaster affected villages, Tamta said that special arrangements will have to be prepared for this task. “I take the responsibility of facilitating forest clearance from the Central Government for rehabilitation of the disaster affected. The State Government only needs to draft the proposal and submit it to the Centre,” he said.
Accorded the position of Union Minister of State for textiles in the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Cabinet in the recent Cabinet expansion, Tamta has in the past also served as a member of the Uttarakhand legislative Assembly, from 2007 to 2012 and again from 2012 to 2014. He has also served as a Minister in the BJP-led Government of Uttarakhand, as a Cabinet Minister during 2008–2009 and as Minister of State during 2007–2008.